I'm learning systems and software, how to complete timesheets, the process to get Catholic priests, and personalities of the staff. I am learning some of the arts that are available for the patients such as music, massage, reike, drawing, and volunteers that can do just about anything. However, in the midst of the learning, it is hard to be spontaneous. I am thinking too hard!
I have been meeting with a 25 year young man who has brain cancer. He has the most beautiful smile and is so sweet. He has had many physical challenges in his life but his spirit radiates joy. Here is a 25 year old with brain cancer and in hospice and when I go to see him and ask him how he feels, his response with a huge smile on his face always is, "I feel fabulous."
Another patient that I see regularly is a 50 year old woman who is on a trach and unresponsive. Her husband glows when he tells me how they met and how he loves her. He tells me about meeting on the dance floor. I think that they are still dancing together in some way. I know it is hard for him in many ways, but he hangs on to the words that she said so many times to him. She loves him. Those words keep him going.
So don't forget to let people know that you love them!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Day one
Thanks to all the well-wishes. It was a good day...actually a great day. And that is all in the perspective I imagine.
First thing this morning, I listened to a wife tell of her husband's life. It is such an honor to hear and be in such intimate places with someone. The wife wanted to be strong and made excuses for the kids that were not there because they had already said their goodbyes. My guess is that the wife would have liked the kids there for her but chaplains, nurses, social workers can all step in and stand with the loved ones left behind. And so we did.
I met with a spanish speaking family, some that had very limited and broken English. I immediately thought, I need to learn a little spanish. So one of the goals will be to find a way to learn a bit of conversational spanish. I don't need to be fluent but I do hope that I learn enough to not say something really silly that has no relevance.
I met a Greek Orthodox priest who came to give communion to a dying Greek woman. Communion liturgy was done in Greek, so I couldn't understand the language but you could see the comfort in the eyes of the patient. The words of God's love seems to be universal.
I was invited to come into a patient's room to see some acupuncture being done. A new experience. I found out from the doctor that the ear is like the foot in reflexology. The whole body can be associated with spots on your foot or your hand. And today's lesson...it is true of the ear as well. The patient had pain in his back and the doctor placed 10 acupuncture needles in the gentleman's ear. The patient didn't feel a thing! And it helped relieve the pain in his back. Amazing.
And so for those that were wondering how I survived the day, I did. And it was all good.
First thing this morning, I listened to a wife tell of her husband's life. It is such an honor to hear and be in such intimate places with someone. The wife wanted to be strong and made excuses for the kids that were not there because they had already said their goodbyes. My guess is that the wife would have liked the kids there for her but chaplains, nurses, social workers can all step in and stand with the loved ones left behind. And so we did.
I met with a spanish speaking family, some that had very limited and broken English. I immediately thought, I need to learn a little spanish. So one of the goals will be to find a way to learn a bit of conversational spanish. I don't need to be fluent but I do hope that I learn enough to not say something really silly that has no relevance.
I met a Greek Orthodox priest who came to give communion to a dying Greek woman. Communion liturgy was done in Greek, so I couldn't understand the language but you could see the comfort in the eyes of the patient. The words of God's love seems to be universal.
I was invited to come into a patient's room to see some acupuncture being done. A new experience. I found out from the doctor that the ear is like the foot in reflexology. The whole body can be associated with spots on your foot or your hand. And today's lesson...it is true of the ear as well. The patient had pain in his back and the doctor placed 10 acupuncture needles in the gentleman's ear. The patient didn't feel a thing! And it helped relieve the pain in his back. Amazing.
And so for those that were wondering how I survived the day, I did. And it was all good.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Time to start working!
Yesterday was a day of fun...went to see Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts. It was a book that I loved and a story that I can relate to as I have moved to FL. Had lunch had a place called Bahama Breeze that is on the causeway so the view is spectacular and the food excellent.
I start my job at the hospice home tomorrow. I oriented all last week and feel ready to start something new. I know what to do if there is a hurricane - something that a girl from IN would not generally know. I have a phone that can be a walkie talkie but also I can text. That seems to bridge time from the past to now. What would life be without cell phones and texting?
My 35th high school reunion was last night and I missed it! I haven't been to a reunion in all these years and always felt that was okay. Who knew that in 2010, 35 years later, I would have reconnected a little with high school friends on something called facebook. "Listening" to their lives online made me want to see them and laugh with them and remember with them. So for all you high school friends, I missed you last night!
As I thought about the reunion I was missing, I also thought about life since 1975. I don't get another life like the one I had as a 18 year old. And I don't get another life like I have now. I never will play the same role and experience my life in quite the same way ever again. I will never have the same set of friends again. I wil never experience the earth and the world with all its wonders in this time again. So don't wait for one last look at the ocean, the sky, the stars, an old friend, or a loved one. Go look now.
Be grateful for the past, be satified with today, be hopeful for the future.
I start my job at the hospice home tomorrow. I oriented all last week and feel ready to start something new. I know what to do if there is a hurricane - something that a girl from IN would not generally know. I have a phone that can be a walkie talkie but also I can text. That seems to bridge time from the past to now. What would life be without cell phones and texting?
My 35th high school reunion was last night and I missed it! I haven't been to a reunion in all these years and always felt that was okay. Who knew that in 2010, 35 years later, I would have reconnected a little with high school friends on something called facebook. "Listening" to their lives online made me want to see them and laugh with them and remember with them. So for all you high school friends, I missed you last night!
As I thought about the reunion I was missing, I also thought about life since 1975. I don't get another life like the one I had as a 18 year old. And I don't get another life like I have now. I never will play the same role and experience my life in quite the same way ever again. I will never have the same set of friends again. I wil never experience the earth and the world with all its wonders in this time again. So don't wait for one last look at the ocean, the sky, the stars, an old friend, or a loved one. Go look now.
Be grateful for the past, be satified with today, be hopeful for the future.
Monday, August 9, 2010
First day of orientation
My last day in the office for my last job was 5/27. I have enjoyed the freedom of the days since then, but today felt like a new beginning. I listened to overviews of hospice work and some details about programs. I was reminded all over again how much I believe that this is where I am supposed to be.
The Credo on my name badge reads: Our life's work is not just a job - it's a calling. We are ordinary people called to do extraordinary work; to comfort - to heal - to love.
We value the sacredness of each human encounter, and seek to make a difference, one life at a time.
We honor our history and tradition as healers and embrace the knowledge that care of the body means little without ease of the soul. We believe the Hospice experience transforms lives, ours and those whom we serve.
As I found out when I did the internship at a hospice near Chicago, I was blessed in so many ways and I received so much more than I ever could give. For me, hospice is life-giving. To die well, you surely must live well. And sometimes, you just need someone with a unobstructed view to show you the way.
Early on in the decision to move to FL, I had to ask a question, "if I walk down this road, where will it lead in the long run - toward or away from the me I want to be?" I may never quite arrive, but I am on a path toward the person I want to be.
The Credo on my name badge reads: Our life's work is not just a job - it's a calling. We are ordinary people called to do extraordinary work; to comfort - to heal - to love.
We value the sacredness of each human encounter, and seek to make a difference, one life at a time.
We honor our history and tradition as healers and embrace the knowledge that care of the body means little without ease of the soul. We believe the Hospice experience transforms lives, ours and those whom we serve.
As I found out when I did the internship at a hospice near Chicago, I was blessed in so many ways and I received so much more than I ever could give. For me, hospice is life-giving. To die well, you surely must live well. And sometimes, you just need someone with a unobstructed view to show you the way.
Early on in the decision to move to FL, I had to ask a question, "if I walk down this road, where will it lead in the long run - toward or away from the me I want to be?" I may never quite arrive, but I am on a path toward the person I want to be.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
August 4
I always heard that change is the only thing you can count on...I don't think that is really true. You can bank on the fact that Florida is really hot in July.
Each day it always sounds good to play golf or ride my bike but then I step outside and the heat is overwhelming. So I think golf and biking might be winter sports here. Sitting in the air condition is much more of the summer activity.
This week has been filled with anticipation of the work ahead. I have been fingerprinted, got my FL driver's license, got a draft of my schedule for Aug/Sept. So I am getting excited about what lies ahead and tired of preparation.
It feels important to me to find a community of faith that allows me to learn and grow and be encouraged and challenged. I want to be able to help people live well until they die at a hospice home so it feels important for me to find a place to feed my own spirit. But finding a church is not always easy. I used to believe that most Christians spoke the same language, shared a sense of what Christian fellowship was all about and beyond minor differences had a faith in common that could transcend political and social boundaries. It has taken me a while, but I know that just isn't true!
One thing that seems nonnegotiable for me is open communion. I certainly don't get to pick who else is good enough, holy enough, deserving enough, or is in the right church to receive it. It is not a private meal. The bread on the Table has to be shared with everyone - those we love and those we don't want to like ...for it to have true meaning.
Each day it always sounds good to play golf or ride my bike but then I step outside and the heat is overwhelming. So I think golf and biking might be winter sports here. Sitting in the air condition is much more of the summer activity.
This week has been filled with anticipation of the work ahead. I have been fingerprinted, got my FL driver's license, got a draft of my schedule for Aug/Sept. So I am getting excited about what lies ahead and tired of preparation.
It feels important to me to find a community of faith that allows me to learn and grow and be encouraged and challenged. I want to be able to help people live well until they die at a hospice home so it feels important for me to find a place to feed my own spirit. But finding a church is not always easy. I used to believe that most Christians spoke the same language, shared a sense of what Christian fellowship was all about and beyond minor differences had a faith in common that could transcend political and social boundaries. It has taken me a while, but I know that just isn't true!
One thing that seems nonnegotiable for me is open communion. I certainly don't get to pick who else is good enough, holy enough, deserving enough, or is in the right church to receive it. It is not a private meal. The bread on the Table has to be shared with everyone - those we love and those we don't want to like ...for it to have true meaning.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
I was asked today if I felt like I had moved or if I was just on vacation. And my answer would be, a little of both.
I certainly did not know everyone in Fort Wayne but I knew my way around and knew the layouts of my favorite places. I knew the timing of the stoplights through downtown Fort Wayne and could easily call someone to go to dinner. So here, it feels different and I feel much like a stranger. Everywhere I go, I have to stop and think if I need to go left or right, north or south, if it's beyond the Publix or before the Starbucks. We take that kind of stuff for granted...until you start over.
I don't feel like I am on vacation because during vacation, you don't want to waste a minute. There are shops to find, restaurants to try, beaches to walk, shells to find, or activities to do. Well, now I am wasting time. It is hot, I'm tired of the unpacking, always seem to be lost or checking the GPS. So sometimes, it is easier to just waste time. Vacation is over.
I start orientation on August 9 and then my actual chaplain work on August 16, so until then, I can waste a little time like the locals do. I guess now I am a local.
I love Ann Lamott's writing and I am reading her book, Plan B with a friend from my previous church. We read, we write comments, and it is a fun way to share a book with a friend. Lamott is certainly not a traditional Christian writer but she has a lot of wisdom to share.
She wrote this book during the Bush administration, which she did not like and did not hide that fact. I wasn't a fan of GW either but her humor helped to put it in perspective. She made a statement on how to get through the mess (of Bush, and of life.) Right foot, left foot, right foot, breathe. Isn't that the message for all of us in so many situations? I think at times that has gotten me to FL for what I believe God has called me to do. There have been many times along the way that I have doubted that I heard God right. surely God wouldn't want me to really do this! I've been convinced much of the time that this is my passion but there are times now that I think I made a mistake! So left foot, right foot, left foot, breathe.
I love her statement - peace is joy at rest and joy is peace on its feet. I think right now I am at a place of peace is joy at rest. I need a little time to just "be". I feel peace in one sense but find that I am needing energy to go out in the world. I received strength from worship, relationships, work that gave meaning to my life, so without those anchors at this time, it is harder to find the strength.
I also liked the conversation in the book about the cactus blooming. "...Last week they were ugly...they don't bloom every year so you have to love them while they are here." Isn't that true of so many things?
This blog is not meant to be a place for book reviews but I love to read and try to read some edgy and thought-provoking stuff about God and about life. So, on occasion, you may see what I am reading.
Hope all that read this are enjoying the hot summer days. Blessings to you from Florida.
I certainly did not know everyone in Fort Wayne but I knew my way around and knew the layouts of my favorite places. I knew the timing of the stoplights through downtown Fort Wayne and could easily call someone to go to dinner. So here, it feels different and I feel much like a stranger. Everywhere I go, I have to stop and think if I need to go left or right, north or south, if it's beyond the Publix or before the Starbucks. We take that kind of stuff for granted...until you start over.
I don't feel like I am on vacation because during vacation, you don't want to waste a minute. There are shops to find, restaurants to try, beaches to walk, shells to find, or activities to do. Well, now I am wasting time. It is hot, I'm tired of the unpacking, always seem to be lost or checking the GPS. So sometimes, it is easier to just waste time. Vacation is over.
I start orientation on August 9 and then my actual chaplain work on August 16, so until then, I can waste a little time like the locals do. I guess now I am a local.
I love Ann Lamott's writing and I am reading her book, Plan B with a friend from my previous church. We read, we write comments, and it is a fun way to share a book with a friend. Lamott is certainly not a traditional Christian writer but she has a lot of wisdom to share.
She wrote this book during the Bush administration, which she did not like and did not hide that fact. I wasn't a fan of GW either but her humor helped to put it in perspective. She made a statement on how to get through the mess (of Bush, and of life.) Right foot, left foot, right foot, breathe. Isn't that the message for all of us in so many situations? I think at times that has gotten me to FL for what I believe God has called me to do. There have been many times along the way that I have doubted that I heard God right. surely God wouldn't want me to really do this! I've been convinced much of the time that this is my passion but there are times now that I think I made a mistake! So left foot, right foot, left foot, breathe.
I love her statement - peace is joy at rest and joy is peace on its feet. I think right now I am at a place of peace is joy at rest. I need a little time to just "be". I feel peace in one sense but find that I am needing energy to go out in the world. I received strength from worship, relationships, work that gave meaning to my life, so without those anchors at this time, it is harder to find the strength.
I also liked the conversation in the book about the cactus blooming. "...Last week they were ugly...they don't bloom every year so you have to love them while they are here." Isn't that true of so many things?
This blog is not meant to be a place for book reviews but I love to read and try to read some edgy and thought-provoking stuff about God and about life. So, on occasion, you may see what I am reading.
Hope all that read this are enjoying the hot summer days. Blessings to you from Florida.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Unpacking
Here I sit at a Panera Bread near Tarpon Springs, FL, having my favorite whole grain bagel with peanut butter and a hot chai using the free wi-fi. Internet access has been a challenge so far. Monday's goal is to find an internet company so we can have it in the apartment. This post and probably many in the coming days will be about moving and transitions.
Moving from a 2000 sq house that we loved and had built just for us and downsizing to a 990 sq 2nd story apartment is a challenge. We have put a magnet on the refrigerator to live simply. That is the goal. And as my friend, Lynn said, to live the dream. There will be challenges along the way but at the end of the day, we can sit and watch the most beautiful sunsets. We can explore all the beaches and hideaways and trails and the beauty of the water. So that is our dream...to live fully and abundantly in this new place. Our motto recently has been, "let's just let it evolve."
We are exhausted from the many steps of this move. We are not quite there yet but the end is in sight. As we unpack, we see all the things that we could do without if we truly want to live simply. But I sure like my stuff and it is quite a learning journey. As I unpacked the Christmas rope lights, I just shook my head and had a few tears. Not that the rope lights are so special but just the recognition that our closets are packed and there really is no place for rope lights. Who knew that I didn't need rope lights?
As each day passes, we are trying to take some time out to have some fun and explore a little. I want to know where things are besides every Walmart. I do not even want to shop at Walmart but we have made several trips there already...waste basket, step stool, shower curtain, and even a small microwave. How can you live simply without a microwave? ha.
The weather is very hot but it sounds like Indiana is as well. So far, the heat is not bothering me but we just left the box that said "coats, hats, scarves" packed.
This week's goals - get internet, finish unpacking, find a chiropractor, and do some exploring. Next Sunday we hope to attend a church in New Port Ritchie. A community of faith will be important for us to find. But for today, we are off to visit my cousin and to have some fun.
So think about your dream...and figure out a way to live it. shalom.
Moving from a 2000 sq house that we loved and had built just for us and downsizing to a 990 sq 2nd story apartment is a challenge. We have put a magnet on the refrigerator to live simply. That is the goal. And as my friend, Lynn said, to live the dream. There will be challenges along the way but at the end of the day, we can sit and watch the most beautiful sunsets. We can explore all the beaches and hideaways and trails and the beauty of the water. So that is our dream...to live fully and abundantly in this new place. Our motto recently has been, "let's just let it evolve."
We are exhausted from the many steps of this move. We are not quite there yet but the end is in sight. As we unpack, we see all the things that we could do without if we truly want to live simply. But I sure like my stuff and it is quite a learning journey. As I unpacked the Christmas rope lights, I just shook my head and had a few tears. Not that the rope lights are so special but just the recognition that our closets are packed and there really is no place for rope lights. Who knew that I didn't need rope lights?
As each day passes, we are trying to take some time out to have some fun and explore a little. I want to know where things are besides every Walmart. I do not even want to shop at Walmart but we have made several trips there already...waste basket, step stool, shower curtain, and even a small microwave. How can you live simply without a microwave? ha.
The weather is very hot but it sounds like Indiana is as well. So far, the heat is not bothering me but we just left the box that said "coats, hats, scarves" packed.
This week's goals - get internet, finish unpacking, find a chiropractor, and do some exploring. Next Sunday we hope to attend a church in New Port Ritchie. A community of faith will be important for us to find. But for today, we are off to visit my cousin and to have some fun.
So think about your dream...and figure out a way to live it. shalom.
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